Why I lost the desire to visit the stadium

Maybe, I don't know exactly, although I have an idea, so maybe it's convenience that now prevents me from going to big sporting events as a spectator. As a young teenager, I went to the stadium regularly. Three times in a row at the Lions in Munich because three of my friends were fans of 1860 Munich and then once at Bayern, my favorite club. Of course my friends had to bite the football bullet. In the soft focus of memories I realize: It was great. The four of us always took the train to the Bavarian capital, after which we had dribbles of barley juice. It was all harmless compared to the present.

Now I see images that make me shiver, that even frighten and frighten me. A huge shadow has long hung over the playoffs of the past few weeks. Across Europe, many fans have turned into violent mobs that have gone out of control. Law enforcement officers have long been overwhelmed when burning torches are thrown onto the lawn in Kaiserlautern, for example. So-called pyrotechnics are used. Well, I say to myself, the fans should and perhaps have to get rid of their emotions, in the rush of victory or as a way to deal with frustration. I somehow understand that too. To a certain degree. But the pain threshold of jubilation has long since been exceeded. 453 dead Can memories help to bring so-called fans to their senses who are prone to violence and are ready for almost anything? 453. That is the number of deaths in three football games. Four hundred and fifty-three. In Lima in 1964, 318 people died during a qualifying match for the Tokyo Olympics between Peru and Argentina. A state of emergency was then declared in Peru. Dramatic scenes also took place in Brussels in 1985. In the dilapidated Heysel Stadium, 39 fans were killed by drunken Liverpool fans. They were mainly Juventus supporters. Firecrackers were set off, stones were thrown, walls were torn down. Juventus won. Football lost.

On May 29, 1985, 39 people lost their lives in the Heysel Stadium. © ANSA / ANSA/ARCHIVIO / XX

Four years later, 96 people were crushed to death at Hillsborough Stadium in Scotland. In 2001, another fan died as a result of the injuries he sustained at the time. It was an FA Cup semi-final between Liverpool and Nottingham Forest. A gate was opened too early. The organizers were overwhelmed. And they still seem to be these days, as the Champions League final in Paris between Real Madrid and Liverpool FC showed. There was chaos in front of the stadium and the atmosphere was heated. The game only started 36 minutes late. The Paris police used tear gas, including against families with their children who were not allowed into the Stade de France even though they had valid tickets.

Thefts, sexual harassment, police violence. A terrible mix swirled around the staging of the final. The French wanted to see this as a dress rehearsal for the 2024 Olympic Games and reacted immediately when St Petersburg was deprived of this final after Russia's attack on Ukraine. France has embarrassed itself France didn't take advantage of the opportunity. Quite the opposite. The Olympic test run ended as a disgrace. Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin has since apologized. It was said that 2700 British fans who had valid tickets should be compensated “quickly”. This fiasco came at an inopportune time for French President Emmanuel Macron. A week before the first round of parliamentary elections, he has to deal with the riots in front of the Stade de France, among many other tasks he currently has to deal with. His team is counted. He is losing ground.

Only now is the true extent of this chaos event becoming clear. Suddenly it becomes clear once again how sport can influence political events. The myth that the two have nothing to do with each other is long outdated. And to make matters worse, we are increasingly losing the fun of attending games that are supposed to be of great importance. But there are alternatives. A visit to smaller sporting events, for example, promises pure relaxation. A suggestion from me for the coming weekend: The Vertical Bouldering World Cup in Brixen.

Football

Italy

International leagues

International

Winter sports

Hockey

Tennis

Other sports

Motorsport

Cycling

Watersports

Events

Favorites

Why I lost the desire to visit the stadium

Our columnist Sigi Heinrich used to enjoy making regular pilgrimages to football games to cheer on “his” club. He has now lost his desire for such visits.

Suggestions

Comments (0)